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Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Kennebunkport, Maine

Kennebunkport, York County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-01 · Reviewed · 17 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes, with an annual short-term rental license from Kennebunkport's Code Enforcement Officer for any rental under 30 consecutive days. The town caps the total number of licenses each year (Goose Rocks Beach is exempt from the cap), and occupancy is limited to two guests per bedroom plus two.

License requiredYes, annual license from the Code Enforcement Officer (calendar-year) [1]
What counts as a short-term rentalTenancy of less than 30 consecutive days [2]
FeesSet by the Board of Selectmen; Tier I = 0-3 bedrooms, Tier II = 4+ bedrooms [4]
Town-wide capTotal licenses set annually by the Board of Selectmen [6]
Goose Rocks BeachLicensed, but not counted toward the town-wide cap [7]
Licenses per lotNo more than 2 or 50% of dwelling units, whichever is greater [5]
Accessory apartmentsNot allowed as STRs if built or permitted after Nov. 3, 2009 [8]
Max occupancy2 tenants per bedroom + 2 (e.g., 8 for 3 bedrooms) [9]
Town inspectionOnce every 5 years [12]

Who needs a license

Kennebunkport's Chapter 129 requires a short-term rental license before a home is advertised, rented or operated as a short-term rental, and the license is good for one calendar year [1]. A short-term rental is a legally existing dwelling unit rented for less than 30 consecutive days [2]. Hotels, inns, B&Bs and owner-occupied "residential rental accommodations" (renting up to two bedrooms in an owner-occupied home) are handled separately [16]. Licenses expire December 31 and must be renewed through the town's renewal process; a license not renewed by the town's deadline lapses. They don't transfer to a new owner or location, except for listed family and estate-planning transfers [13].

Caps and limits

The Board of Selectmen sets fees, with Tier I covering 0-3 bedrooms and Tier II covering 4 or more [3][4]. It also sets the total number of licenses each year [6]. Rentals in the Goose Rocks Beach Neighborhood still need a license but don't count toward that cap [7]. On a single lot, the town will license no more than two units or 50% of the dwelling units, whichever is greater [5], rounded down; owners already holding more than that in 2025 can keep renewing until the property changes hands. Accessory apartments built or permitted after November 3, 2009 can't be short-term rentals [8], and neither can units in affordable housing developments built or permitted after July 1, 2024 [17]. The chapter has no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement and no minimum stay beyond the under-30-day definition.

Safety, occupancy and parking

To get a license, the property needs smoke alarms, CO alarms where required, and a mounted fire extinguisher [11]. You also submit floor plans and proof of adequate septic or sewer. Occupancy is capped at two tenants per bedroom plus two [9]. Guest vehicles are limited to the on-site spaces you designate [10]. The CEO inspects licensed rentals every five years [12]. Every ad must show the current license number [15].

Note on versions

The chapter text we reviewed shows amendments through November 4, 2025. Fee amounts and the annual cap number are set by the Board of Selectmen and aren't in the ordinance.

See how Kennebunkport compares with 8+ other Maine towns on short-term rentals (airbnb / vrbo) →

Next steps

  1. Apply to the Code Enforcement Officer. Applications for the next year open in October, and they are reviewed in the order received.
  2. Prepare a floor plan showing smoke/CO alarms and fire extinguishers, a parking plan with designated on-site spaces, and septic or sewer capacity information.
  3. Pay the Tier I or Tier II license fee set by the Board of Selectmen.
  4. Once licensed, post the license and contact notice near the entrance and put the license number in every listing.
  5. Renew before the town's annual deadline. If you miss it, the license expires and you lose the right to keep operating under it.

Common questions

Do I need a license for a short-term rental in Kennebunkport, Maine?
Yes. Chapter 129 requires an annual short-term rental license from the Code Enforcement Officer before a home is advertised, rented or operated for stays under 30 consecutive days. Licenses expire December 31 and don't transfer to a new owner.
Is there a cap on short-term rentals in Kennebunkport, Maine?
Yes. The Board of Selectmen sets the total number of licenses each year. Rentals in the Goose Rocks Beach Neighborhood still need a license but don't count toward that cap.
How many people can stay in a short-term rental in Kennebunkport, Maine?
Occupancy is capped at two tenants per bedroom plus two, for example 8 for a 3-bedroom rental.
Can I rent an accessory apartment as an Airbnb in Kennebunkport, Maine?
Not if it was built or permitted after November 3, 2009. Those accessory apartments can't be short-term rentals.
How many short-term rental licenses can one lot have in Kennebunkport, Maine?
No more than two units or 50% of the dwelling units on the lot, whichever is greater, rounded down. Owners already holding more in 2025 can keep renewing until the property changes hands.

Maine state rules for short-term rentals

No statewide STR license. Maine has no state registration or permit for Airbnb/VRBO hosts. State law instead lets each town regulate short-term rentals (30-A M.R.S. §4364-C(2), passed in 2022). Check your town's rules.

Lodging tax (Maine Revenue Services):

  • Rentals of living quarters are taxed at 9%, still the rate in 2026.
  • Booking platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO must register with the state and collect the tax on bookings made through them.
  • If you rent a single unit for fewer than 15 days a year, you generally aren't a "retailer" and don't need to register.
  • If you rent 15 days or more in a year, you must register with Maine Revenue Services and collect tax on any bookings you take directly.
  • A stay of 28+ days in a row is tax-exempt only in certain cases, such as when the unit is the guest's primary residence.

No state lodging license for vacation rentals. Maine's lodging-license law leaves out "vacation rentals," meaning homes rented to people with a permanent home elsewhere. B&Bs, inns and hotels do need a license.

ADUs: Starting July 1, 2027, towns can't require ADU owners to live on the property. State guidance says towns can still regulate STRs, for example by requiring registration or banning STRs in ADUs.

State sources: 30-A M.R.S. §4364-C (municipalities may regulate short-term rentals) · Maine Revenue Services Instructional Bulletin 32: Rental of Living Quarters (Mar. 2026) · Maine Revenue Services: Sales and Use Tax Rates · 22 M.R.S. §2491 (lodging place / vacation rental definitions) · Maine Office of Community Affairs, Housing Legislation Guidance (March 2026)

What the ordinance says

Exact text from Kennebunkport's published ordinances. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. § 129-4A, License required, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    No short-term rental shall be advertised, rented, or operated without first obtaining a short-term rental license. A short-term rental license shall be valid for the calendar year for which the license is issued.
  2. § 129-3, Definitions (Short-term rental), Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    The use, control, management or operation of a legally existing residential dwelling unit offered for rent for transient occupancy for dwelling, sleeping or lodging purposes by short-term rental guests for a tenancy of less than 30 consecutive days, for compensation, directly or indirectly, excluding motels, hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, inns, lodging establishments, seasonal rental accommodation complexes, and residential rental accommodations.
  3. § 129-4A(2), Fees, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    The Board of Selectmen shall establish fees for the licensure of short-term rentals. Licensing fees for short-term rentals shall be assessed based upon the following criteria:
  4. § 129-4A(2)(a), Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    Tier I: Short-term rentals with zero to three bedrooms.
  5. § 129-4A(3), Limitation on number of licenses on a lot, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    no more than two or 50% of the dwelling units on a lot, whichever is greater, may be issued by the Code Enforcement Officer for a lot as defined in Chapter 240 that is described in a deed or instrument recorded in the York County Registry of Deeds.
  6. § 129-9, Limits on licenses, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    The Code Enforcement Officer shall issue short-term rental licenses on an annual basis. The total number of licenses issued in each calendar year shall be set annually by the Board of Selectmen.
  7. § 129-9B, Goose Rocks Beach Neighborhood, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    Licensed short-term rentals located in the Goose Rocks Beach Neighborhood (as depicted on the attached map) shall not be counted towards the total number of short-term rental licenses to be set annually by the Board of Selectmen under § 129-9A herein, and to be issued on an annual basis thereafter by the Town.
  8. § 129-2B(2), Prohibited short-term rentals, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    The accommodations are an accessory apartment constructed or permitted after November 3, 2009, or a recreational vehicle, trailer or tent; or
  9. § 129-7F, Occupancy limits, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    The maximum tenant occupancy of a short-term rental shall be limited to no more than two tenants per bedroom, plus two additional tenants total for the entire dwelling unit.
  10. § 129-7D, Parking, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    Guest parking at the short-term rental shall occur in parking spaces designated by the applicant, and the number of guest vehicles allowed at the short-term rental shall be limited to the number of on-site parking spaces designated by the applicant.
  11. § 129-7A(3), Portable fire extinguishers, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    At least one portable fire extinguisher shall be mounted in a prominent location. One size/type 2/A is required or two size/type 1/A extinguishers.
  12. § 129-5D(2), Inspection, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    The Code Enforcement Officer shall inspect the licensed premises once every five years, to determine compliance with the short-term standards in § 129-7
  13. § 129-4B(1), Nontransferability, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    Short-term rental licenses issued under this chapter shall not be transferable to a new owner or location.
  14. § 129-5A, Application submission, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    Short-term rental license applications shall be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer. Applications for licenses for the upcoming calendar year may be submitted beginning in October of the previous license year.
  15. § 129-4C, Advertising, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    The short-term rental advertising must be consistent with the terms of the short-term rental license, and all advertisements of the short-term rental must include the current short-term rental license number.
  16. § 129-3, Definitions (Residential rental accommodations), Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    The permitted accessory use of no more than two bedrooms in a legally existing dwelling or dwelling unit. This dwelling unit shall be an owner-occupied dwelling.
  17. § 129-2B(3), Prohibited short-term rentals, Short-Term Rentals (Chapter 129), p. 1
    The units (whether designated as affordable or not) are within an affordable housing development constructed or permitted after July 1, 2024.
This page summarizes Kennebunkport's posted ordinances as of 2026-10-01. Ordinances are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Planning & Development (Code Enforcement) ((207) 967-1605 (dept); CEO Mike Demers (207) 967-1602) before you build. Spot an error?